Strong relief pitching keys Burlington County's Carpenter Cup victory

Jeff McGarry and Colin Perro were enjoying the view, the atmosphere, the experience.

It only seemed as if the two Burlington County pitchers were in a hurry to exit Citizens Bank Park. They actually were making the most of the moment.

"That's the same mound that Roy Halladay throws off," McGarry said after combining with Perro for a Halladay-like performance Monday afternoon in the semifinals of the Carpenter Cup Classic.

Working fast and throwing strikes, McGarry and Perro needed just 32 pitches to shut down Philadelphia Catholic over the final four innings and help Burlington County to a 5-1 victory.

McGarry, a senior from Lenape, pitched the final two innings, allowing one base-runner on a hit batter. He also made the defensive play of the game, snatching a line drive with his bare hand to end the eighth inning.

"It was just reaction," McGarry said of catching the line drive off the bat of La Salle's Joe Forcellini. "Luckily, I caught it between my ring finger and my pinky."

Perro, a junior from Cherokee, faced just six batters in pitching a perfect sixth and seventh. He need just four pitches in the seventh.

"When I came in from the bullpen and saw the stadium, I couldn't believe it," Perro said. "It was awesome. All I wanted to do was throw strikes."

Shawnee senior Dylan Johannink got the win with two scoreless innings, and Holy Cross senior Jeff Singer worked three strong innings as Burlington County advanced to face Lehigh Valley in Tuesday morning's championship game.

Burlington County manager Marc Petragnini, the coach at Cherokee, said Seneca senior Kevin Comer should be available for three innings in Tuesday's title game.

Comer was the No. 57 pick in the June 6 major-league baseball draft by the Toronto Blue Jays.

Burlington County will be seeking its third title since 2006. The South Jersey team also won the the title in 2009.

"Hopefully, we can bring another one home," McGarry said.

Neumann-Goretti senior Mike Zolk drove in Philadelphia Catholic's only run with a fifth-inning single.

But after Zolk's hit, Burlington County pitchers retired the next 12 batters in order and 13 of the final 14.

"Our pitchers were unbelievable," said Lenape shortstop Stefan Kancylarz, a St. Joseph's recruit who rapped a three-run double to give his team a 3-0 lead in the second inning.

Kancylarz's bases-loaded double hit halfway up the left-field wall, bouncing off the Budweiser sign.

"I thought it might be out," Kancylarz said. "I was trying not to show it, but I was smiling."

Burlington County stretched its lead to 5-0 in the third as Rancocas Valley sophomore Nick Cieri rapped an RBI double and scored on an RBI single by Cherokee junior Jordan Glover.

Burlington County 032 000 000 – 5 8 1

Philadelphia Catholic 000 010 000 – 1 5 3

WP: Dylan Johnannink. LP: Matt Petrizzi.

2B: BC-Nick Cieri, Stefan Kancylarz.